Wednesday, March 29, 2006

The blog has been rather skimping on the knitting, and since knitting is mentioned as part of the blog description, I should actually write about my knitting every now and then. Plus, Italian doesn't read the blog much and my main project is a present for him.

The Anniversary GiftThe traditional gift for our upcoming anniversary is wool. This is my favorite gift so far! We usually exchange a gift from both the traditional and contempary anniversary gift list, and I would recommend this to all married couples. It helps take some of the creative pressures off of the individuals and if the gift bombs, one can blame it on the theme of the year.

The very small length of knitting above is the beginnings of the River Forrest Gansey. The color is a navy blue, and the yarn is Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. The yarn is amazing! It's soft and luscious. It glides throught the needles. The color is vibrant and perfect. It was a splurge, but hey, it is our anniversary. Sometimes, I take the yarn and squeeze it, kinda like the old charmin commercials. I'm secretly hoping he won't like the sweater; then I can have it. The pattern has not been too difficult so far, and the designer has been very good about responding to emails and answering questions.

Monday, March 27, 2006

and Little Clover gets the ball! He dribbles down the court, crosses the half court mark and is challenged by the defensive team. He dribbles to his right...no! He has faked them out with a stunning turn to his left! The path is clear. He's rushing in for the shot, he shoots...he scores! What a great shot! This has been a fantastic game for Little Clover!

I have to agree, Bob. Just look at his athleticism. His fake out move is beautiful! He had three of the opposing team's defensive men fall for it, completely clearing the way for that incredible shot! And with his scoring record, bringing in 5 of the team's 9 points, you can definitely bet that he's got a great future ahead of him.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Today is devoted to Italian Clover and his talents. He is a woodworker and rather talented. Our agreement is that he gets the garage as his workshop and can buy tools and materials that make the cost of my yarn seem minimal, and I get furniture. I personally think I have the better end of the deal, but I won't tell him that. He may wonder why he hasn't gotten any knitted items.

So far, he has given me beautiful jewelry boxes and a modified barrister bookcase. Last week, he presented me with

He spent quite a bit of time on the workmanship of this piece and it shows. The wood is a beautiful quarter sawn white oak. He designed the table himself and drafted his own plans. He played with a couple of finishing techniques in order to find a finish that brought out the medullary rays. When the light catches the table, it just shines.

I'm prolonging putting anything on the table. I don't want to hide the top. The table graces our front hall and blends in well with the overall design of the entryway. He truly did an amazing job and the table shows off his talents. It makes me feel grown-up. Maybe I'll knit the Bamboozelle basket for it as an excuse to buy bamboo yarn.

Monday, March 20, 2006

My mom had a smile and a laugh that radiated with her joy. It was contagious. It was happy. It was a small view into what I imagine heaven will be. When she was happy, you knew it. You could see it not only in her eyes and in her smile, but in every ounce of her being. She was completely happy when she laughed, and I miss it.

I remember my mom's wonderful smile, and I occasionally see it on my face. Her smile also graces Little Clover's face and her laugh rings in his. I remember the hugs my mom gave me and how, despite her small size, they covered me. I still feel her hug in the blanket she crocheted. Even though I prefer knitting to crochet, I feel connected to my mom each time I hold a single crochet hook in my hand. The blanket she made is one of my favorite things, and to me irreplaceable.

I was intending on preparing something special for my mom, something that would be perfect, but I couldn't. I could not find the words to describe just how wonderful my mother was. Words were not enough. My mom was more than what words could describe. My mom was love, was joy, was sorrow, was hardship, was life. My mother was complete. She loved completely, and I am blessed to have received her love. She may be gone from my life, but she is forever in my heart and in the hearts and lives of those who were graced with her presence. I love you, Momma. Happy birthday.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Cead Mile FailteToday is a big day for the Clover's. Both sides of the family are Irish and we have quite a few Patricks in the family as well. Little Clover loves St. Patrick's Day. For the saint parade at his school, he picked St. Patrick. We dressed him in a green tablecloth with a hole cut out for his head. We made a bishops hat out of foam and he took a toy snake for the parade. He called me early this morning to chide me for not wearing green (even though I did) and warned me that he will pinch me when I get home. He choose which green shirt to wear weeks ago and will be on the lookout for the non-Irish today.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, here is a link to the History Channel which has a nice site devoted to St. Patrick, the holiday, and the Irish. To satisfy the knitters out there who may be reading, here is a link to the Irish Hiking Scarf. My favorite patterns, though, with Irish flare are at Girl from Auntie. Her Celtic knots are gorgeous. I haven't blocked out any time to knit the sweaters, since I am trying very hard to deplete my stash. (So far, my stash is still growing. I'm not sure how it happens exactly. All I know is that sometimes, I'll come home with a bag of yarn and no memory of how I got it.)

As a closing, may you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day, and here is a blessing for you to send you on your way:

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

I'm catching up on listening to the knitting podcasts I've downloaded. I'm a bit behind. I just listened to Whit's latest About Time episode in which she mentioned two little things about positive words. The first mention was in regards to Wren Ross's generosity. A few times when Whit asked her a question, Wren complimented Whit and her interview style. This reminded me of a lesson I was taught two years ago. I was told that if I have a compliment, I should pass it on. By not passing it on, I'm robbing myself of the gift of making another person happy and I'm robbing the other person of the nice words that she may need to hear. Since being introduced to this concept, I strive to pass on compliments whenever they appear instead of letting them die within me. Some people may have heard of this concept as "Fill the Bucket." Whatever you call it, give it a try.

The second thing Whit mentioned regarded a friend of hers who has been receive some harsh feedback about her podcast, which made me ponder another lessoned I was taught. I have been taught that our words are either positive or negative, and if what we say isn't positive, then it is negative. "Wow!" I remember thinking, "those are my only two options? Where's the neutrality?" But then, where is the wonder in living a neutral kind of life? I know I often fail, but I hope that by trying to say only positive words to other people, I can make my tiny little part of the world better.

With that, here is how I did make someone happy. Kelly received her surprise birthday present this past Sunday.

She loved it! I have to be a little selfish here. I know it was her gift and I'm thrilled she loved it, but she gave me a gift as well by loving her present. One of the many joys of knitting is seeing the beam in a persons eyes when they receive a present I made just for her. I love seeing that look. It makes me want to knit more.

The Fiesta La Luz Silk was absolutely luscious to work with. It is an unplied yarn, a first for me. I think the fact that it is unplied makes the yarn even more beautiful. I would recommend putting lotion on your hands first before working with the yarn. Not only will the yarn glide through your fingers a bit better, but it will make your hands happy. The pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Love this book!!!! So far, I've made this camisole and the knitted animals from the book. The patterns are quite pretty and I love how the book is organized into time frames (2 hour gifts, 6 hour gifts, etc). This tank took a little longer than the suggested 8 hours, but I think I was being overly cautious with the lace at the bottom. Overall, it is a quick knit and a knock-out gift.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Can you see it? Little Clover lost his first tooth! He has been dutifully wiggling it the last few weeks, and yesterday when I dropped him off at school, he gave me a final look at the wiggle. The tooth was desparately clinging on like Cliff Hanger from Between The Lions. I knew it wouldn't make it through the day. When I picked him up from school, he sauntered over with a grin and then gave me a full smile, proudly displaying THE GAP.

The tooth came out during snack. Italian Clover had packed hard cookies for him which did the trick! Little Clover didn't notice his tooth had fallen out, but he did notice that he was having a hard time chewing one little chunk of cookie. When he took the hard bit out, he finally realized it was his tooth! His class cheered for him, which made him beam.

The Tooth Fairy visisted last night while he slept and graciously allowed him to keep his tooth, since it was the first.

(I'm sorry this is late)I want to thank you for being you. Not only have you been a great sister-in-law to me, but you have also become a wonderful friend and a fantastic Godmother. Thank you for being you. I always look forward to your visits and seeing your bright and beautiful smile. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and I'm looking forward to celebrating it with you. Happy belated birthday!